


The White Daisy Killer

by baker_and_fangirl



Category: Purple Hyacinth (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, Kieran is a stalker, Kieran is a yandere, Kieran is trying to help, Lauren is trying to do her job, Some of them are important and some are not, Tim Sake dies, White Daisy - AU, and stop the Phantom Scythe, major death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:08:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24318601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baker_and_fangirl/pseuds/baker_and_fangirl
Summary: There is a new string of murders in the city and the killer is awfully interested in Lauren.
Relationships: Lauren Sinclair/Kieran White, William Hawkes/Kym Ladell
Comments: 24
Kudos: 94





	1. What's in the box?

Kieran grimaced into his cup of coffee, book ideally in his hand as he eavesdropped on the terrible date behind him. As he flipped the page, he wondered why so many of these terrible dates of Lauren’s called her eyes pensive. He fingered the bookmark he had picked out for this activity, a deep rich red background with bright white daisies, a favorite of his as it reflected the object of his affections. It was true that her eyes gave the look that they were deep in thought but they were so much more then that. Her eyes were alert, seeing to the core of things and people. Her eyes were warm, like when she interacted with the kids in her neighborhood, or with her friend who she often got drinks with. Her eyes were the color of warm gold. To say they were pensive was simply a way to make themselves seem smarter to her. But Lauren, the human lie detector she was, cut through them sharper than his blade and left them scraps on the floor.

It was always funny to watch.

As she left, Kieran finished his coffee and placed the bookmark and novel back in his pocket. Now that Lauren had left there was no reason to stay. He had jobs to do today after all, not to mention a gift to prepare.

He did hope she liked it. He thought she would.

* * *

Lauren adjusted the mask on her face as she followed with Kym and William to the crime scene by the docks. For some reason dispatch seemed shaken when they stressed both urgency and discretion. The entire block had been cut off, bright yellow tape with officers discouraging civilians from entering. As they rounded the corner towards the alley where the body was the K-9 units ran past them signaling as they spread out. The reason why became clear as Kym raised her hand and covered her mouth and nose at the sight.

A corpse lay flat, arms wide as a pool of blood, sticky and dark coated the stones beneath it. The man’s coat and shirt had been ripped wide open, his ribs protruding from his flesh like particularly gruesome flowers and his head was missing completely. The important key to this was the scattering of white daisies, many of which were soaked in the victim’s blood.

Lauren walked around the body, her eyes bouncing around the crime scene, taking in each little detail. March had his gloves on, looking inside the corpse’s chest while his assistant took his notes. He took note of Lauren’s approach and spoke, eyes still trained on the open cavity as he sorted through the viscera, gloved slick with blood. “What’s your take on this Sinclair? Hermann isn’t around to be a ball buster and we could use any ideas you have.”

Lauren crouched next to him, gathering her long officer coat so it wouldn’t touch the blood-soaked ground. “This has also been a rapid escalation. Four, now five, bodies in the past 2 weeks but this is the only one with this level violence meaning this one may have been the target from the start. Is there anything in the pockets? Anything we could use to identify the body?”

March’s assistant was the one who answered, “Nothing at all, not even a receipt. Whoever did this probably cleaned him out.”

March sighed and stood, yanking the gloves off. “Cause of death was exsanguination, from the looks of it all of this,” he gestured to the chest of the body “was done while he was alive. Besides the obvious missing head, he also appears to be missing his heart. We’ve had the K9 units out for about half an hour and so far we have nothing. No scents, no missing body parts, not even a blood trail.” He stretched lightly, back tight from crouching. “I need you all to canvas the area, someone had to hear something. You all are regulars here so a friendly face asking questions will probably be better received. Check in with me when you finish with the nearby apartments. The rest of your squad will be here in one hour to assist.” His gaze swept over the apartment building on all sides of the crime scene. “We have a lot of ground to cover.”

* * *

After five hours of canvasing, the 11th precinct finally managed to drag themselves back to the office. Even though it was a wash, each apartment giving the basic answer of “nobody seen nothing”, those interviews still needed to be marked down and filed away before they could leave for the night. At the sight of them Lila got the coffee started and began the call for their usual take-away order to be delivered.

Lauren had an arm wrapped around Kym’s waist supporting her as she dragged her over the threshold, her goal to dump her at her desk. No one would be escaping paperwork tonight. She faltered a bit when she spotted the large gift box on her desk, and Kym perked up at the mystery.

“A secret admirer and you didn’t even tell me? How cruel Lauren!” Suddenly full of energy Kym managed to beat her to the desk.

Lauren eyed the box with suspicion and curiosity. “If I have one, they have never made themselves known to me.” The box was large, looking to be about a 2-foot cube. It was wrapped in a dark red-brown wrapping paper and topped with an expertly tied white ribbon, which kept a white envelope attached to it.

William entered, coffee in hand. If he was surprised by the item he didn’t show it. “If you know who it was it wouldn’t be a secret then would it?”

Lauren made a quick face at him pulling the letter opener out of her desk drawer as Kym snatched the letter from the top and ripped it open down the side. She began opening it carefully so as not to damage any potential evidence as Kym cleared her throat, obviously ready to tease her friend about her embarrassing suitor. “Dear Detective Sinclair, I hope with this letter you will soon be in high spirits. I know that leaving a job half completed is an itch unlike any other and with this gift, that particular thorn in your side will be no more. I will not be offended if you look over my work a second time, but I know you will be happy with the results. All my devotion, Yours.” About halfway through Kym’s tone changed to something less jovial, uncertain about the contents which was no longer amusing.

Lauren’s gut clenched painfully as she carefully sliced the paper to open the box. The first thing that hit her was a strong floral smell, her eyes focusing on a large black folder encased in thick white muslin to keep it clean, that sat in the middle of the box perfectly. Using her gloved hand she reached to remove only to widen her eyes in shock and horror at the surprise underneath it.

The box was filled with white daisies. They were spread around the edges, pressed into each wall, and filled around the decapitated head of Tim Sake.


	2. That's Not Ideal

Kym was the first one to say something although it could not be heard over the sound of William retching into a waste paper basket as Lauren stood frozen at the sight. She vaguely heard Kym yelling for Lila to call someone. Lauren’s brain was already filled with a buzzing sound which she recognized faintly as shock.

That was Tim Sake’s head in a box. There was a thick file in her hands, and she desperately wanted to open it, the only thing stopping her was a worry of contaminating evidence. There was a growing stain on her desk under where the box had been sitting.

She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Tim Sake. The man who ruined her career, who almost ruined her whole life, who framed his ex-wife for a crime he had committed, had been murdered in an alley by the docks, had his head and heart removed and whoever had done it had delivered it to her desk in a box filled with evidence and flowers with a creepy note.

What was even her life at this point.

Her vision was narrowing dangerously, and Lauren felt Kym rush to her side and pull her across the room, as the detective team bombarded her desk. Lauren felt a cup of coffee that smelt strongly of chocolate be pressed into her hands as she was sat down and Detective March sat across from her with a note pad.

“Officer Sinclair, I have a few questions.”

* * *

Lauren was tired. Her day had been so fucking long. She just wanted to rest for tonight, just a good few hours of uninterrupted sleep. Herman had given them all the next day off, seeing both the excitement and the long slog the day had been. She walked through the quiet house and into her office first to deposit her gear when she stopped at the sight of familiar wrapping paper, a plate underneath it that was filled with a reddish-brown liquid. She took a deep shuddering breath and made her way towards the desk that both held a phone and the package. She quickly dialed the number for Tristan’s office phone. She lifted the letter the was attached, this time a simple card. In print it read simply “Home is where the heart is.”

After the fourth ring, she heard the line be picked up. “Sinclair speaking.”

“Uncle.”

She heard Tristan shuffling papers and setting something down. “Lauren? What’s wrong?”

She took another deep breath, and exhaled, slow and in control. “I think I may have found Tim Sake’s heart. There is another package on my desk here at home.”

The amount of swearing and shuffling painted a very vivid picture in her mind of what Tristan looked like right now. He was probably as tired and disheveled as her, but in charge of so much more than her and unable to return home. He was probably going to come home now, and with additional officers to investigate. “I’m on my way. Just hang on.” As he hung up, she heard him yell for Detective March.

She stared down at the package, and she opened the top. It wasn’t sealed like the other and she was still wearing her gloves.

“Oh lovely,” she said, feeling her restrain crack just a bit, “daises **and** roses. What more could a lady ask for?” Tim Sake’s heart, much like his head (although she was surprised to find that Tim had a heart at all) was carefully placed in among the flowers, which along with the signature white daisies where bright red roses. She set the top back on it and walked to the arm chair by the window which was still locked from the inside. Lauren sat, holding her composure. “Just until Tristan gets here.”

She was grateful that she had moved her board into her bedroom after one of the maids had messed with it while trying to clean around it. Lauren rested her chin on her hands which were clasped tightly to halt the shaking she could feel wanting to start as she thought about the night she had had.

She was happy Tim Sake was dead. When she registered that it was him in the box she had felt a rush of satisfaction and glee at the fact that he was dead. He wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else anymore, his ex-wife was given revenge for being framed. The moment after it washed through her it was replaced with a deep seated guilt. Lauren rubbed her temples; she was an officer of the law. She wasn’t supposed to be happy when people were murdered. Whoever this killer was, it was getting far too personal. Herman would mostly likely pull her from the case, or even put her on leave while he decided what to do. She tried to make sense of it all.

What was the focus for the killer? Was the focus on whatever connection the people had, or was it on her?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and multiple sets of feet coming up the stairs. Lauren mentally prepared herself for more questions.

* * *

The end of the night had come, and the early marks of dawn were now showing when Lauren was finally released to go to bed. Tristan had gone back to the office with a promise to be home as soon as possible, to oversee any new information about the organ that was on her desk, and the team he had brought with him left only a little while before he had. She was finally alone, as she stumbled into her own room wondering if she should bother with getting undressed or just taking off her boots and crashing. Ultimately she decided to get undressed, but not bother with any sleep clothes. As she sat on her bed to take off her boots, she felt something crinkle under her hand.

The last piece of control snapped as she pulled out a sheet of paper, from her own stationary, from under the covers of her bed. She could feel the rage building although she wasn’t shaking so badly that she couldn’t read it.

“My Dearest Lauren,

I hope you enjoyed the gift in your office. I understand that he was your enemy but I hope you do not mind me dispatching him for you. I wish you to know that I greatly admire your work ethic. Not only do you have your job, but you also take the time to help those around you no matter who they are, along with investigating into your board. It is very impressive, but I believe that with my connections I could help you to uncover more information. I will be in touch.

With Love, Yours”

* * *

Kieran watched from a nearby building, binoculars in hand. He had been eager to see her response to this letter, although her screaming and trashing her room in a rage was not what he thought would happen. “That is not ideal.” He muttered to himself, as he watched her knock books off a near by table with a wince.

This would be more difficult than he thought.


	3. A History of Violence

Kieran sat at the same coffee shop, in the same seat, with a different book and waited. Since Lauren had been suspended until further notice until they decided what to do about, well him. A fact that he and Kym both agreed was bullshit. He had taken note of Lauren’s new schedule although she spent most of the time at her uncle’s home and he couldn’t really stay as close without it looking suspicious. Everyday Kym and Will met up with Lauren here and caught her up on what was happening at the office. After they departed, she usually stopped by one of the larger market squares near the train station and relax by the fountain. Those were days that he enjoyed the most. It reminded him of the day he first saw her.

_Kieran kept a close eye on any potential leaks in the police department, especially on those who would be interacting with his case. As an extra precaution to know who could be blackmailed, bribed or just plain threatened, and there was talk of a new and upcoming detective that they would most likely assign to his case. He checked his watch when a flash of red at the edge of his vision. He followed the color and for a moment he felt like he was seeing double. The sight of the slim red haired woman seemed to transposed on a smaller red haired girl. The pain was sharp and Kieran’s had twitched in an aborted attempt to reach for his head._

_That was interesting. Was that a memory of some kind?_

_He looked after her. She was laughing and playfully shoving another woman with short dark hair._

_He followed her._

_He wanted to follow her._

_For the next month, every day, between jobs he constantly followed her, took notes on her favorite food, her favorite coffee shop, what she did during her free time. He saw her excellent work and the thought he had so long ago, of taking down the Phantom Scythe would be possible with a partner like her at his side. It might even be possible, but he would have to move slowly. Her rise was something he enjoyed watching. The hitch in has plan was when he was sent on a long mission, that would take at least two weeks. The Messenger had said it would be only one, but looking over the idiots who would be in charge, it would take two week if not longer._

_So he goes, and works fast and clean. He wants to get back Lauren as quickly as possible._

_But apparently, those two weeks are all it took for Lauren’s life to go absolute shit._

_When Kieran finally arrived back home to check in on her he found something that enraged him. Demoted! That made no sense to him, none at all! Lauren was the only competent cop in that whole fucking department. And the worst part, was that no one was saying what happened or why and he couldn’t leverage it without giving himself away._

_So, he went down the list. All people she had arrested in the past three months, narrowed it down by Phantom Scythe members and people who had either been released or their case dismissed. That would be a good place to start. He had looked over the list and then leaned back to look over the names. Most of them would be easy to manage the question became the method and delivery. Kieran could only imagine how angry she was with whoever had caused her fall from favor, and while he knew she disliked killing, she’d forgive him eventually wouldn’t she? After all, they were criminals, and no where near worthy of her time. It could even act as an apology gift, since he wasn’t here to help her. He could deliver the body at certain spots in her district so she would see them, leave her favorite flowers there so she would know it was for her._

_He checked the time, before grabbing his coat and heading out the door. Lauren was officially back at work, and there was no time like the present to get started._

_Although Kieran rarely enjoyed drinking at the Grim Goblin, it was a good place to gather information. His gifts had been causing a stir but nothing to loud since they were all low-level idiots who were stupid enough to get caught (an sure, they got caught by his wonderful Lauren but still). He heard a commotion and out of the corner of his eye, Kieran resisted the urge to roll his eyes at who was the center of it. Fucking Tim Sake. The man was always a sign that Kieran’s time here was over, the man feeling he had some sort of hold over him and Belladonna since he had been there even at the start but fuck him. As he went for his coat, he heard something he hadn’t been expecting._

_Lauren’s name._

_His hand stilled and he sat back down, signaling for another drink. He focused on his drink while allowing the information to be filed into his mind. He was mindful of the glass, careful not to crush it as the mystery unfolded before him._

_He had found the catalyst for his darling’s misery._

_Time to wrap the last gift._

Kieran blinked himself out of his memory as he heard Will and Kym enter. He was glad Lauren had such good friends who looked out for her. He listened to the chatter about the office until he heard himself be mentioned. It was rather exciting, far more of a rush then anything he had done as the Purple Hyacinth. The game would be so interesting wouldn’t it? Lauren chasing him, his case occupying her work, and once he worked his plans together, he would occupy her casual hours as well. Everything was going splendidly on his 25 step plan.

“So Hermann announced today that the commissioner decided to move the White Daisy killer case to a different precinct since the perp seems to be focused on you. They officially started working on it today.”

Kieran had to try to not smash his mug on the table.

He recognized Lauren’s voice ask “Which one are they moving it to?”

It was Will who answered. “The 8th. Still close enough to the crime scenes for efficiency.”

Lauren sighed. “As much as I would like to find him, it’ll probably be for the best.”

No, no it wouldn’t. Kieran gripped his book tighter moving to put it away. It wouldn’t be better because it wouldn’t be Lauren. He stood, all his training needed to keep his body casual as he left just like always as the two cops caught their friend up on their day.

Fixing this was going to be a pain in his ass.

* * *

The 8th precinct was one of the quieter ones, nothing very exciting except they had easy access to other precincts and were often called as back up. The captain wasn’t sure about handling this new case but it was a favor to Hermann and the commissioner to take it on, his lead detective looked over the outline of the new high profile case. They pushed open the door and noticed three things. The first was that the normal guard who was there in the morning was tied and placed near the desk, still alive but unconscious. The second was the red splashes over the walls. The third was the faint smell of paint.

The captain pulled out his gun and grabbed a walkie while the detective sent out a call to the rest of the teams about a possible break-in. What ever he was expecting the scene to be, it was not what he saw.

The bull pen was trashed. Desks were overturned, papers scattered and over it all was red paint. Paint ground into the rug, staining the walls and desks. But the thing that drew the most attention was at the back of the room. The board that had previously held the notes on the White Daisy Killer were gone and the words “GIVE HER BACK” were written in the same paint.

The detective came crashing in with a few officers but they were all equally shocked at the destruction before them.

“Call Hermann. He can take this fucking case back.”

* * *

Across town, as a phone rang in Hermann’s office, a file sat on Lauren’s brand-new desk. It is was thick, bound with string, and a single splash of red paint on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, sorry for the delay on this chapter. Some plot things had to be moved but hopefully the chapters will come out faster from now on. I'd love to hear what everyone thinks of this chapter. Thanks for reading


	4. The Old Bait and Switch

Lauren readjusted her gloves. This was her first large mission back since that disastrous day, and the White Daisy Killer was exclusively placed in her lap since what happened at the 8th district. It had been almost a month, with a new murder every week. Always some low level Phantom Scythe thug, a scattering of daisies and a new, tightly bound file on a high ranking member but she spent a large amount of time trying to track down anyone the killer may have encountered. She wasn’t on those cases, tracking down people who were in business with them. No, she was stuck trying to find the asshole who left her a daily stream of notes that would appear on her work desk, usually mixed with her mail in a plain envelope with no return address.

_“I am glad my case is back in your capable hands.”_

_“You did not seem to sleep well last night. Are you worried about something?”_

She kept them in a separate file at home, under her bed. There was no reason anyone needed to know about this additional layer. People already looked at her with pity and a little fear. But now, she had been flagged for this mission, a sting operation on some Phantom Scythe members. She was to wait for the signal and then engage, shortly followed by her back up. This would be a great way to get back in the swing of things. Things were finely starting to look up.

* * *

Kieran was not having a good time.

He had the walkies set up to Lauren’s frequency and the other officers, (2 detective from the fifth, 3 officers from the second) as he listened to Lauren react to the signal and engage in a fire fight and call for back up. He had been there just to see, just to take care of her as a back up because she was with her fellow officers. Surely they would help her.

But they did nothing.

Kieran abandoned the walkies, it was now clear what this was. This was no sting operation.

This was a trap.

For him.

And they use Lauren, his Lauren as the bait.

Now that just wouldn’t do.

The window smashing in the back, away from the eyes of the officers, was covered by a goon shooting in Lauren’s direction. Five against one was hardly fair. He should probably even the odds. He could see her, illuminated in the moonlight. Blood was dripping down her arm where she had been shot, some shrapnel from a different shot had left a gash near her hairline.

She was losing blood quickly.

Goon one and two went down easily, his knife sinking between ribs and his sword slashing through throats. She managed to get a shot, piercing goon three in the head, and four was shot twice in the chest. The fifth had moved forward, almost on her when Kieran appeared behind him.

To Lauren, everything happened very quickly. She wasn’t sure why her back up hadn’t arrived but she would have to hold the front until they got to her position, or she passed out from the pain. She should feel her vision blurring. She concentrated on landing shots on two of the men but could feel herself slipping quickly away.

She was rushed by two men who had managed to flank her one directly behind the other, only to see a glimpse of silver, and a flash of artic blue eyes as a sword moved and buried itself in the man’s back. She trained her gun on the last man, giving one last shot that he easily dodged.

The blue-eyed man reached for her as she slipped under, his hand wrenching the gun, the creak of his gloves as he tossed it across the room, the pain finally knocking her out.

* * *

The first thing Lauren noticed when she came to was the fact that this bed felt very familiar and that there was something over her eyes. There was a sharp sting and the smell of antiseptic as she reached up and lifted the blindfold off. This was her room, although plunged in darkness. Her eyes drifted to where she knew her board to be and she saw him; a dark outline of a tall man who was touching the photos on her shelf before setting them down and moving onto the next piece.

Lauren struggled, knocking over some first aid equipment that had been left on her side table.

He turned to her. It was too dark to see his face or any distinguishing features.

“Lauren, what are you doing up?”

Her fist swung towards him and he dodged. How dare he speak to her like they were friends? Like he knew her at all?

“Lauren – “

She swung again, trying to remember where the nearest lamp was. He may be a killer but this was her room.

“Just wait – “

She stepped into his space. If she could just grab a hold of him, she could maybe get some clues. She launched herself at him.

He quickly sidestepped her and grabbed her arm. With a sharp tug he had her pinned against him, his arm trapping both of hers against her side, his other hand around her eyes and forcing her head back into his neck, preventing her from headbutting him.

“Darling, please, you lost a lot of blood. I don’t want to hurt you. But I can’t let you see me just yet.”

She felt him tighten his hold on her. She could feel his breath on her neck, his mouth close her skin. He hesitated and then pulled away.

“Hopefully soon though. But for now,” the hand covering her eyes went to her throat and constricted. The way he held her kept Lauren from turning and she made a strangled noise as she fought to breathe, those tell-tale black spots forming in front of her eyes. “It’s time for you to go back to sleep. And when you wake up, I promise, I’ll have taken care of everything.”

The last thing she thought of as she faded away was that his promise would have deadly consequences.

* * *

Kieran managed to keep his composure until he reached his apartment and opened the locked door quickly. That was the first time he had touched her. The first time he had held her.

The transition of The Room from makeshift art studio to proper place for Lauren had gone well, but he kept the drawing desk. The boxes had been organized and filed away to look like various sets of encyclopedias but right now he needed to place this on paper.

Her peaceful face when she slept.

The smell of her hair.

The way she fit against him, slotted perfectly against him like being a puzzle finally completed.

As he sketched, Kieran thought of the fact that he had almost kissed her. It had been so tempting. But the time wasn’t right, not for something as important as that to their relationship.

His mind soon swiftly turned to other matters.

The fact that she had been abandoned by her fellow officers. He did notice that none of them were her normal co-workers, but he would still need to investigate them. But one thing was clear, he couldn’t trust that anyone at the police station took her safety as seriously as he did. Getting an in there would be easy, but the justification would be more difficult. But he would find a way.

He finished the sketch.

Lauren’s smile looked back at him.

Nothing would keep them apart.

* * *

Kieran locked his front door as he ruffled the hair out of his face. He had woken up to a note from the Messenger to meet at the Grim Goblin and he was not particularly looking forward to it. He would much rather be planning his next move. It’s not like Lauren was going to magically become more involved in his life. He had to be even more proactive, more on top of things, find a way to introduce himself, as just himself. And then, once she was in love with him, once she knew she needed him and **only** him, the same way he only needed her, he could tell her the truth.

It wasn’t like she was going to magically appear before him.

As Kieran turned sharply, he almost walked straight into the neighboring door. Which shouldn’t even be open since it wasn’t rented to anyone as far as he knew.

“Oh sorry, are you okay?”

The door was moved to reveal the bright red hair and gold eyes he had just been thinking about. “I thought everyone would already be gone.”

“I have late mornings.” He was surprised how even his voice sounded. “Kieran White, pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hand. She gave a half grin and shook it firmly.

“Lauren Sinclair. I’m your new neighbor.”

Kieran grinned, containing his excitement behind a calm face.

Things were finally starting to look up.


	5. First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Usual warning apply my friends. Kieran is an unreliable narrator but he is doing his best. I'd love to hear what you all think about the chapter.
> 
> The song that they dance to can be found here. It's great for setting the mood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_-E90kPXg4

Being the archivist for Lauren’s office was the best thing that ever happened to Kieran, besides meeting Lauren in the first place. Sure, the job itself was boring and tedious, and sure, he needed to regularly send in reports about the progress on his own case (which was hilarious to him) and, sure he had to deal with Belladonna’s spineless little spy (“Are you here to kill me?” The tremble in his voice made Kieran smile, he was surprised Belladonna hadn’t eaten him alive already. “No, if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. Just stay out of my way and away from Officer Sinclair.” He watched him scurry away, chuckling to himself) but it meant he had constant access to Lauren. He could see her and be around her all day, not just far away but up close. Personal contact.

This was the perfect opportunity to get her to fall in love with him.

If he just so happened to walk with her to and from work, well they were neighbors, weren’t they? No harm in walking together. He got her coffee, and after about a week or so, asked if she would join him for lunch, or dropping it off she worked late. And, if he also happened to offer to make her dinner, that was just the gentlemanly thing to do. (He pretended that every action did not scream “Look at me! Notice me! Love me!” although to the rest of the office could see it as clear as day. Kym thought it was sweet, the hot archivist seeing and respecting her best friend’s professional drive, Will agreed and tried to ignore the unease he felt around Kieran sometimes, Lila thought it was so charming how he walked her home, and Lucas seemed to be the only one who noticed the look in Kieran’s eyes when he watched Lauren -- desperate, hungry, obsessed -- Lucas knew better than to get in the way). Kieran cherished each casual interaction, the way he could sometimes graze her fingers when they exchanged files, how he could easily touch the items on her desk, hold the files she held, sit in a room and breath the same air as her. And with her right next door, it’s not so hard to slip into her room when she works late (it’s so much easier than breaking into Tristan’s house) lightly touching her items, but never picking them up, and staring at that board, that stupid board, that occupied so much of her time. His eyes always locked onto that pinned picture, and sometimes he let the churning sensation in his chest be felt. He hated whoever that boy in the picture was. He constantly had Lauren’s attention, she looked at the picture all the time and Kieran was man enough to admit that he was jealous. He was right here in front of her, why didn’t she just see him instead? But as quickly as he felt those emotions, he pushed them away and slipped out of her apartment. He had to keep the visits short, or the temptation would be too great.

Kieran found himself becoming fond of the her unit (tolerable, good friends who had been livid at what happened to her, her whole unit had been ready to storm the office of the detective in charge, even Hermann -- who was on thin ice -- who had been unaware that an officer under his command had been bait) seemed to encourage his pursuit and her acceptance of them. He appreciated it, if her friends trusted him that would make his integration into her life so much easier, but he would need to find a way to cut back on their available time with Lauren. Sure, he liked them just fine, but he and Lauren, they didn’t need anyone else.

* * *

Kieran stood in front of Lauren’s door, shifting nervously from foot to foot as he gripped the bouquet, he had put together for her. Bright red roses, light pink peonies, light and dark red carnations, purple heliotropes, and a few small white daisies. He hoped that she would see the depth of his love for her. He gripped them tightly, before taking a deep breath and knocking on the door of her apartment.

This had to go perfectly.

He had taken her out on short dates before, usually lunch at work, coffee in the morning, dinners once they returned home from the office but this was a day off together. This was his chance to really impress her.

His breath caught in his throat as Lauren opened the door. Her dress was a bright yellow with a white trim. Her hair was tied back in a braid, and her shoes were black and practical. She was going for a much more feminine look then her normal day to day and she looked breathtaking.

He forgot how to talk in that moment and awkwardly held out the flowers for her to take. “For you, I got these.” He cringed at his treacherous tongue; this was too important to mess up. He was relieved when she took the flowers from him with a laugh.

“They’re beautiful Kieran. Where did you get them from?” She was smiling as she sniffed at the large peonies, though her eyes faltered as she picked up on the daisies.

“I made it myself, actually. Flowers are a hobby of mine.” He tapped one of the daisies. “Kym said they were your favorite flower, so I wanted to make sure that they were included.”

Lauren smiled at him and his heart skipped a beat at the sight. He could look at it for days and never tire of it. “Let me put these in some water and we can go.” She opened the door for him and gestured for him to follow. “Come on in.”

Kieran took a few steps inside, enough to linger in the doorway before he stopped, nervous. He watched instead, as Lauren moved around her new apartment, pulling a glass vase out of a cupboard in her barely used kitchen. Kieran usually made her meals since his love was excellent at many things but cooking was not one of them. After the second time she had almost set it on fire, he had offered to simply make extra and share with her. She was determined to share the grocery bill them and Kieran found himself at the grocer with her, buying ingredients for the week.

It was so normal and domestic, and Kieran found himself enjoying every minute of it.

The flowers he had so carefully picked out now sat proudly at her table and Kieran wondered what their home would look like one day.

Lauren grabbed her bag and looped her arm in his once they had exited and locked her door. “So, what do you have planned for us today?”

Kieran hummed under his breath. “I was thinking the park and a picnic, maybe some dinner and dancing as well. Let’s see how the day treats us darling.”

* * *

After he walked her to her door and was safely inside his own apartment Kieran leaned against the door and tried to relax a little. His heart was beating widely out of control, but he wasn’t sure why exactly. He shrugged off his coat and tugged off the buttons on his shirt. He stumbled, his brain seemed to be fogged with flashes and thoughts of Lauren, his gorgeous Lauren, who was right next door.

His breathing quickened. He tore the remaining buttons off. He couldn’t breathe. He had never felt this way before. When he worked, when he killed, his mind could focus on one thing, the job, and this lightheaded feeling that he had come to associate with Lauren was both frightened him in its intensity and made him long for the warmth he felt in her presence.

What should he draw? How could he capture the moment, when he almost didn’t believe it himself.

His mind flashed with all the images he wanted to capture. There were so many.

The park, where she smiled fondly by the lake. (She looked so peaceful, sitting on the checkered blanket with the lunch he had bought them, sandwiches packed with meat and cheese, and a large variety of fruit that he had been assured by Kym that she enjoyed. She smiled fondly at a young family who was watching their young child play at the edge of the lake as they enjoyed the fruit. “Do you like children Lauren?” Kieran asked as he popped a grape into his mouth. She thought about it while picking a strawberry. “I never really thought about it. I’ve always been so focused on my career. What about you?” He shrugged, still looking at the family. “I can’t have kids, so I never really considered it.” He glanced at her, the question clear on her face. “I grew up in a,” he searched for the right word “I guess it could be called a cult. They had strict rules about families, and they had us sterilized.” He vaguely remembered it, but like most things he just wanted it to fade into the background when he was with Lauren. He blinked as she intertwined her fingers with his and glanced up at her. “There are other ways to have a family.”)

The club, her hair having fallen out of her braid, clinging to her face that was flushed red as they finally found a slow dance to sway to. (Dinner had been delightful, but the dancing had been the highlight in his mind. The band was loud and he spun her in circles, holding her waist close as she laughed. When the song changed to a soft crooning he still held her close as they swayed together. She fit so well against him and he wanted to just, savor the moment. Kieran rested his cheek on her head as she leaned into him.)

Her face after she had kissed him goodnight. Her face flushed, eyes bright, her lips slightly bruised. (He walked her to her door, both relaxed and buzzing lightly from the drinks with dinner. He paused outside of it, not wanting the night to end. Would she invite him in? If she did, what would happen after? He was not entirely inexperienced with sex, but this was Lauren. He would just follow her cues then. Kieran leaned against the wall as Lauren fished out her keys, his eyes taking in her delicate fingers as she held her keys and – His train of thought was cut short as Lauren pressed her hand to his cheek. He felt breathless as she held his gaze, her hand coming up around his neck playing with his hair before pulling him down to meet her. Lauren pressed her lips to his and Kieran’s hand went to her waist. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that but it was over to soon. She broke away from the kiss, her eyes just as bright as his and her face flushed. “Goodnight Kieran.” She whispered and ducked into her door. Kieran stood there for a long moment before being able to breath normally. He used the wall to roll his body to his own door.)

Kieran found himself thinking about her face as she held the flowers. She was so peaceful, and so happy.

He had made her happy.

He stumbled over to his bed. His head was clouded with Lauren. Once he had seen her room set up and he found that his own bedroom shared a wall. He had quickly moved his bed next to where her bed was pressed into the wall, lining it up just perfectly. He preferred it that way.

It was like they were sleeping next to each other. Sometimes, he imagined what it would be like without that wall separating them.

What would it be like? To sleep next to her, to hold her whenever he wanted. The idea made him shudder as he pressed his forehead against the wall. Would she move here, would he move into her apartment? Would they get someplace new, just for them?

Would she marry him?

He quickly undid his belt and slipped himself free. After a few seconds he shrugged off his shirt, feeling constricted. He thought about Lauren, he briefly considered her on her knees, her hand replacing his her breath warm as she slipped him into her mouth but he brushed it away. He instead focused on a different idea. Her face scrunched up in pleasure as he buried his face between her legs. The weight of her legs on his shoulders, the way her heels dug into his shoulders as he alternated between licking her pussy and sucking and flicking his tongue across her clit. He felt himself grow hard as he listened to her breath hitch as he included his fingers. Kieran ran his own hand through his hair, gripping it tightly as he imagined it being Lauren’s hand instead as she rode his face harder, her moans high and ragged as she came.

She would taste so sweet.

His hand moved faster.

He then imagined Lauren lowering herself down onto him. He had his hand on her waist, keeping her steady as she moved up and down on his dick. The mirror was set up, allowing him the ability to watch her do this and still feel every inch of her.

He was so close.

Lauren, on her side, one of her legs over shoulders as he roughly fucked her. The way her hair clung to her face. Her loud desperate moans as she begged him to go faster. The swell of her stomach, noticeable but not too in the way as the sunlight fell through the open window. A house, with a garden and a fence, and a loving pregnant wife, everything he had every wanted.

He bit back the sound he made as he came, gasping as he leaned his forehead against the barrier between them. He wanted that life with Lauren. He wanted it like he had never wanted anything before in his entire life.

But there were obstacles, weren’t there.

The fertility problem was something he could fix, but the Phantom Scythe would ask questions and that would place Lauren in more danger. He sighed as he began to clean up.

But if there was no Phantom Scythe.

Kieran glanced at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His eyes were bright as the idea formed. If he wanted those things, that life, then the Phantom Scythe would have to go. Completely.

As he turned off the water, Kieran wondered if their kids would have Lauren’s eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> I felt this series lends itself well to a yandere story, and every series needs at least one. Let me know your thoughts in the comments, I'd love to hear what you all think.


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